I visited the various sections of the Smithsonian many times, as a high school student, member of the U.S. Navy on duty in Washington, and as a parent with my children. Every visit was a happy combination of new discoveries and old memories and each time I find something new. Many objects in the Smithsonian collection are valuable exhibits, including early aircraft, space vehicles, important documents, and scientific breakthroughs. Others are a bit more whimsical than historical. Here are some of those.
What Is the Smithsonian?
The Smithsonian Institution is named for the founder, a British scientist named James Smithson. He left his fortune to the United States Government to fund a museum, specifically, "an establishment for the increase and diffusion of knowledge." The Smithsonian is a collection of 19 museums and galleries in Washington, D.C., along with the National Zoological Park. All the facilities are free and open every day except December 25.
Abe Lincoln's Top Hat
According to museum information, the tall black hat on display there was worn by Lincoln on the night of April 14, 1865, when the president attended a performance at Washington's Ford Theater. It was there that John Wilkes Booth shot him. Getting close to the still-intact hat, I could see the black silk band still wrapped around above the brim. That was Lincoln's way of mourning for his sons. Willie died at age 12 in 1862, and Eddie at age 3 in 1850.
Route 66
Before the age of superhighways, Route 66 was the main east-west route to cross the United States, and I drove it several times in the 1940s and 1950s. There is a section of the original Route 66, made in 1932 in Oklahoma, on display. The section of pavement is part of a large exhibition called America On The Move featuring other items and information related to American transportation.
Dorothy's Ruby Slippers
The famed red-jeweled, size-5 shoes worn by Judy Garland in the 1939 movie classic "The Wizard of Oz" are on display at the Smithsonian. There are no actual rubies on the shoes, only burgundy sequins. Because of production needs, there were actually four pairs made for Judy. Three pairs of the slippers are in other collections.
George Armstrong Custer's Buckskin Jacket
This amazing piece of history is a coat Custer wore as a lieutenant colonel with the Seventh U.S. Calvary in the Dakotas. Smithsonian information indicates he liked to dress the part of a frontiersman while serving in the West. Our kids peered into the glass case holding the light tan coat, hoping to see signs of arrow wounds. They were disappointed to learn that there were none, and Custer had worn to the coat to picnics and other social events. The coat was donated to the Smithsonian by his widow, Elizabeth, in 1912.
Heroic Pigeon
A stuffed bird in a museum isn't very unusual, but Cher Ami was a very special bird. The English translation of the carrier pigeon's name is "dear friend," and the bird's actions during World War I proved the words to be true. During an American action near Verdun in 1918, the historic Lost Battalion episode occurred. The isolated unit was threatened with being overwhelmed by enemy forces, and Cher Ami was sent back to American lines with a note asking for help. Though wounded, shot through the breast and leg, Cher Ami delivered the message, and the men were saved.
Visitor Information
Many of the Smithsonian facilities are centered around the National Mall in the center of Washington, D.C. Most Smithsonian facilities are open from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and all are closed on Christmas Day.
Follow travel writer Ted Sherman on Twitter @travel4seniors and check out his blog, travel4seniors.com
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